Here's a big topic about modern silver makers and silver art business

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) got a ton of Gorham silver and their records when they went out of business years ago and has a room on permanent display. Gorham made everything from meh silver and silver plate utilitarian ware, to incredible hand made art pieces. I may not understand what you mean by exhibition, but there is currently a big exhibition of Gorham silver history at RISD museum in Providence, RI through Dec. 1 which will travel after that: https://risdmuseum.org/exhibitions-events/exhibitions/gorham-silver This is much more than the silver room they have on permanent display.
Or are you asking about places where you can exhibit current new production hand made pieces? If so, I don't know of any?

 

Gorham is a weakness of mine, so I pre-ordered the book associated with the Designing Brilliance exhibit, and waited excitedly for the release (such a silver geek) - pretty spectacular:

https://risdmuseum.org/art-design/p.../gorham-silver-designing-brilliance-1850-1970

https://www.amazon.com/Gorham-Silve...70803&sprefix=gorham+silver+designing+&sr=8-1

~Cheryl

 

Don't know where you live, but its not too late to see it in person. I've spent lots of time in their silver room, and plan to go to the exhibit but haven't been yet; my daughter went there and lives in Providence but so far we've been too busy when I've been down to visit her. I may need to make a secret trip without telling her so I can spend the day there (no, I wouldn't do that, would I??)

 

Hi,
No one in the USA buys sterling anymore since they do not want to polish it. That is except for Mr Nate or me or one or two others. I have a large collection of sterling which will probably be dumped into the trash. A lot of mine came from the trash over the years. My White House silver I hope gets saved but everyone wants to melt it to buy Ikea furniture. Shaking my head in horror.
greg

 

I'm in Orlando, so may see if I can get up to Charlotte when it travels there - but am planning a trip to Rhode Island at some point, my paternal grandmother's family settled in Portsmouth in the 1730s (some later involved with RI silver), and would definitely want to visit the RISD Museum. They have a small Gorham spoon that, at this point, is the only other known example of one in my collection - they had no real history on it, but I finally identified its origin.

~Cheryl

 

which will probably be dumped into the trash

you can't mean that...........

 

Hi Komo,
I still have neighbors that toss the silver into the dumpster every two weeks. Last month a neighbor tossed a large sterling tray in the trash. I took it out but the "lady" bent it in half before she dumped it. It brought 325 dollars at the scrap dealer.
greg

 

consider me Trash Greg

 

This right here. I’m 32, most of my peers cringe when they hear I spent $120 on a silver set cameo from 1890 but can shrug off the $1200 price tag for a phone.

 

Ah....
It seems this business is only for collectors - a very tiny group of people.

 

Yes, people today don’t want anything that can’t go in the microwave and dishwasher

 

I think the answer to your question lies in the change of our social system.

Extensive silver settings, large pieces as you describe, were originally purchased by the upper classes. World Expositions of the 1800s showcased the elaborate silver pieces showing off the workmanship of the silver houses.
The big silver boom in the west took place in the late 1800s. At that time every food course and dish served had it's own serving piece. It got so out of hand, that the president (and I can't remember which president), actually limited the amount of pieces that could be offered in a silver service.
Through the 1900s, it became a point of pride for a woman to set a table with good china and matching sterling.

Fast forward to today. It is no longer fashionable to set a table the way our mother's and grandmother's did. Young people do not want to polish silver or hand wash china. For the most part, they do not have the need to impress others. There may be some areas like Silicone Valley where there is a lot of money and the need to impress people, that might actually still use these items.

Our country made it very difficult for manufacturers to continue producing. More and more of our industries were outsourced to other countries. Individual companies were bought up by conglomerates. Which explains the loss of our companies .


About your question in regards to exhibitions. I think you are trying to ask if there is a show in which sellers show their wares. There are whole sale shows for major companies. There also artisan shows, in which individual artists set up booths and sell their items to the public.

 

Great information and explanation. Thank you so much.

 

It's sad, but it does mean collectors can find pieces to collect now ... and I wish I lived close to Greg, so I could go trash picking where people throw literal money in the garbage! (LOL)

 

Just for general information, this old thread delves into the suggested restrictions on stock silver flatware services, instituted by then Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover prior to his Presidency: https://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/002518.html

~Cheryl

 

Nice information, good knowledge for me to learn. Thank you so much

 

Hello Greg :
Pray tell, what'll you be doing for dinner after the holiday weekend ?
Can I come over ?
I'll bring pie !! ......& my best dumpster diving clothes !!!!



Your neighbors my friend............ need a lesson in wealth management ......
&
Waste Management !!!!

 

Excellent
Thank you for posting that link.
For some reason, I had thought the limitation to pieces in a service was made earlier than 1926. Thanx.

 

what do you exactly mean by silver ? private collections ? like this here:

 

That would do!